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Rose rushed into the house, her arms full of laundry to be washed

“It’s…” Elsa’s water broke, splashed down her stockinged legs, and puddled on the floor The sight plunged Elsa into panic For the past er, but now, as pain upended her, she couldn’t think of anything except the doctor telling her so long ago not to get overexcited, not to put strain on her heart

What if he’d been right? She looked up in terror “I’m not ready, Rose”

Rose put down the laundry “No one is ever ready”

Elsa couldn’t catch her breath Another pain hit, wrenched through her stomach

“Look at h she had to get on her tiptoes to do so “This is normal” She took Elsa by the hand and led her to the bedroom, where she stripped the bed and threw the quilts and sheets on the floor

She undressed Elsa, who should have been ashamed to be seen that ith her swollen belly and shapeless lireat she didn’t care

Such teeth in this pain Gnawing at her, then spitting her out to breathe for a ain

“Go ahead and screa Elsa to the bed

Elsa lost her hold on ti but the pain She screa in between

Rose positioned Elsa as if she were a doll, spread her bare legs wide open “I see the head, Elsa You can push now”

Elsa pushed and strained and screa She should have told them she was sick, that she wasn’t supposed to have children, that she could die “If it does—”

“It’s bad luck to speak of such things, Elsa Push”

Elsa gave one last desperate push, felt a great whooshing relief, and sagged back into the pillows, exhausted

A baby’s cry filled the room